Dwayne Reed

Simon needs to release his inner voice, and become the Notorious D.O.G. he was meant to be. There are time when Simon's rhyming feels a bit corny, but the book is overflowing with strong characters and heart. Simon's family equally supports him and gives him a hard time, as only 3 brothers can. His friendships teach him something new on the regular, and his sudden assignment of an oral report in the first week of 5th grade take him to places he'd never imagined he'd go.

I particularly like show more that while there is a strong implication that the kid who bullies Simon is homeless, they don't have the typical confrontation and hug it out scenario -- it's all just kind of going on in the background, and Simon doesn't need to call the kid out. show less

Simon has plenty to say in his head, but clams up when he has to respond to bullies or speak in front of the class - so when his new fifth grade teacher, Mr. James, says the class will be doing oral reports and Simon has to go first, Simon feels doomed. He picks a topic - homelessness - and his dad helps him learn about the problem in their neighborhood and how they can help. Simon gains understanding through talking to Sunny, a nice older man who sweeps the streets and sings; he learns show more about Sunny's past and that Sunny just wants people to know he's not invisible; he's happy that Simon shares his story.

Simon has a supportive family and two best friends, Maria and CJ; characters are predominantly African-American or Latinx.

Quotes

That's how it is on the West Side - anybody that's not your cousin can still be your cousin if they've known your family long enough. (24)

They're the kind of kids who make a lot of noise wherever they go, even if they're not really saying anything anybody else wants to hear. (25)

Being the youngest of four brothers and the shortest kid in every grade so far makes me used to never being seen. (40)

[rap]
I'm not really sure how to act around Sunny,
don't want to be rude, thinkin' I'm being funny. (98)

[rap]
I'm happy for my friends who help
but I wish I could defend myself! (115)

Dad always lets me be quiet when I don't have words. He never makes me feel like I gotta know what to say all the time. (146)

"Everybody keeps acting like everything is so easy. Nobody knows how I feel. Nobody understands." (161)

"I guess I just wanted you to not feel like that. Maybe I made too big a deal about trying to make you not feel scared when I should have tried to help you feel brave." (161) show less

Feels like a very authentic inner-city kid's voice, and Simon and friends are taking on the school board, collecting signatures to try and get the funds for after school clubs restored. He makes some mistakes and has some moments of glory, sharing his rapping talent.

Advanced Reader's Copy provided by Edelweiss.

This debut children's novel from Dwayne Reed is a must read. Simon loves rapping, video games, and hanging out with his friends. He is anxious about starting fifth grade and finding his place. Especially, when he is assigned an oral report the first day of school. As Simon learns about an important issue that faces his neighborhood, homelessness he also finds his place within his school. This book will definitely appeal to young scholars. Simon is a relatable character, exploring a tough show more issue and figuring out how to deal with bullies and finding his place in 5th grade. It is infused with fun rhymes as Simon is an inspiring Rapper and compelling illustrations. Furthermore, it is great to see more books coming out with diverse main characters. Representation is important and all children should be able to find characters that they can relate to in Children's Literature. My soon to be 5th grader and I have read it multiple times already and recommend it every chance we get. We love Mr. Reed's book and hope to see a lot more from him. show less